Xi Jinping explains China's reform plan

Xi Jinping's explanation of the decision on major issues concerning comprehensively deepening reforms was published on Friday.

Entrusted by the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Xi, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, explained the decision to the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, which was held from November 9 to 12.

Since 1978, the third plenary session of a CPC central committee, including its agendas, decisions, measures and signals, has served as a major reference for people to understand the new leadership's policies and priorities, and has been important for the work in the coming five to ten years, Xi said.

To reach the strategic goals set at the 18th CPC National Congress last year, comprehensive reforms must be firmly promoted, he said.

It has been 35 years since the CPC made the landmark decision to shift the focus to economic development and adopt opening-up policies at the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee.

Persistent reform and opening-up efforts have deeply changed the image of the country, its people and the Party and enabled China to become a significant member of the international community, Xi said.

Recalling Deng Xiaoping's reform speeches in 1992, Xi said only socialism can save China, and only reform and opening-up can develop China, socialism and Marxism.

Reform and opening-up will decide the destiny of modern China. It is also the key to realizing the dream of national rejuvenation, Xi said.

In April, the political bureau set reform as the theme of the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee.

A team headed by Xi was set up to draft the decision on reforms. Opinions were widely solicited within the CPC and among other parties and organizations.

During the drafting, it was made clear that the strategic mission of comprehensively deepening reforms and opening-up, proposed by the 18th National Congress of the CPC, should be implemented with the decision, Xi said.

It was also made clear that the decision should respond to the hopes as well as complaints of the people, while the reform measures should be bold in mind but steady in steps.

The reform roadmap has been designed to be met by 2020, when decisive results should have been achieved in key sectors, he added.

Key decisions

A significant theory of the session was to acknowledge the market's decisive role in allocating resources, Xi said.

Economic reform is the key of the entire reform drive while a proper relationship between the market and government remains the core of China's economic reform, Xi explained.

China has to follow the basic law of the market economy and work on the problems of an underdeveloped market system, excessive government intervention and weak supervision of the market, he said.

However, Xi noted that to let the market decide does not mean to let it decide all. "The socialist market economy needs both the market and government but they play different roles."

The government is to maintain a stable macro-economy, provide public service, safeguard fair competition, supervise the market, keep market order, promote sustainable development and step in when the market fails, he added.

To ensure the smoothness of the reform, the CPC decided to set up a leading group for overall reform as it is hard for certain or several departments to push forward such a complicated systematic project, Xi said.

The group will be in charge of designing national, major reform on an overall basis, arranging and coordinating reforms in relevant aspects, pushing forward reform as a whole, and supervising the implementation of reform plans.

Talking about the to-be-established national security commission aimed at strengthening the unified leadership to the state security work, Xi said its main responsibilities include stipulating and implementing state security strategies, pushing forward the construction of the rule of law system concerning state security, setting security principles and policies, as well as conducting research.

"National security and social stability are the preconditions for reform and development", Xi said.

Xi also pointed at strengthening Internet management to ensure its accurate use and cyber security.

Citing rapid growth of social networking services and instant messaging tools, he said concerted efforts should be made to manage the Internet regarding technologies, content and security.

Xi also clarified decisions on the basic economic system which allows more private capital into the market to develop a mixed ownership economy, fiscal system reform, rural-urban integration, promoting consultative democracy, improvement of the judicial system, anti-corruption as well as natural resources management and supervision.

Courage & action

Reform and opening-up is the most significant feature of modern China and the CPC, Xi said. He called for greater political courage and wisdom as well as stronger measures to promote reforms.

Except for deepening reforms, there is no other way to dissolve risks and challenges from all the sides and show the advantage of socialism with Chinese characteristics, he said.

He emphasized on the emancipation of mind, which is the top priority for breaking the barriers from entrenched interest groups.

While thorough research and argumentation is necessary, the reform needs activeness and bold efforts. It is impossible to reform without any risk or changes of current institutions.

He urged strengthening top-level design and comprehensive planning so that all the aspects concerning economy, politics, culture, society and ecological progress could coordinate well.